BEAUTY BITES : OCTOBER 2015

They may have fallen from favour within the wider blogging community, but I will always remain both an avid reader and committed author of monthly favourites posts. I will always relish a peek into another's bathroom cabinet or makeup bag, and the idea of presenting a capsule collection of beloved beauty products to you on a monthly basis still excites me - barely has the month begun and I am already racking up a list of likely candidates. Today, meet five firm favourites from October, the best of the best of the month.

Discovering a new 'my lips but better' shade of lipstick is always something to rave about so this was an undisputed addition to October's lineup of most used/worn/adored beauty products. My previous MLBB-shade of choice [MAC Cosmo] has been a long-term uncontested favourite, but did lean a little too heavily upon the pink end of the nude spectrum. Hepburn Honey is the perfect balance of gold, brown, and pink, culminating in a universally flattering nude hue. The texture is delightfully light, silky, and creamy [I much prefer it to the texture of the Matte Revolution line], cocooning lips in a veil of moisture that sits weightlessly and lasts exceptionally well. I find it best applied with a brush [I favour a precision concealer brush over a traditional lip brush], which also seems to improve its durability. The formula itself is created to provide high impact moisture without resulting in a loose texture or glossy finish and contains light-reflecting pigments that are from from ostentatious and instead lend themselves to a subtle glowing enhancement [which makes my thin lips appear noticeably fuller].

As someone who favours androgynous, masculine scents over anything overly sweet or floral, I am very rarely drawn to rose based scents [that most floral of florals]. However I have never received so many compliments and enquiries regarding my fragrance choice as I have when wearing this in recent weeks; indeed I seem to have become a walking, talking advert for the stuff, jotting 'Nevermore - Frapin' on the backs of hands, napkins, and receipts. This frenzy is inspired by a cool, crisp rose scent that sees the classic floral aroma paired with dark overtones of musky cedar, warm amber, and spicy pepper. Somehow simultaneous deep and light, this androgynous fragrance is inspired by the famous Edgar Allan Poe poem The Raven, and is very much a tribute to the sinister allure and gothic mystery evoked by Poe's prose. Distinct, complex, and lingering, Nevermore is a modern scent that will first surprise and then delight. Even those who have sworn off rose scents will find themselves quite converted.

On days when I have neither the time nor the inclination to sport a complex eye look this has become my one-stop approach to ticking the eyeshadow box. The cool neutral shade is perfect for creating a softly contoured effect and adds a subtle definition that enhances the eye's shape and colour in the most natural of ways. The light silky formula is surprisingly pigmented, with a soft, powdery texture that works as well with a brush as it does when blended over the lid with a finger and lasts without creasing or fading. Perfect for a polished, professional daytime look, it can also easily be built up to create a warm smokey eye.

Those with redness-prone skin will know that finding products that won't irritate can be a challenging process. Since clearing up the last of my hormonal acne, I've become particularly fixated with working towards creating a more even skintone and reducing the subtle redness that seems to enduringly underly my complexion. Although I never considered my redness to be particularly bad, since bringing this into play last month, my overall skin tone appears so much calmer and clearer. Formulated to respect the sensitivity of redness-prone skin by combatting the body's inflammatory response, this is possibly the only product I've used to have had such an instant and noticeable effect. The scent is subtly floral and quite relaxing, and the light texture is that of a super lightweight, non-greasy lotion that works best in lieu of or prior to day cream. Whilst it does give a bit of hydration, those with dry skin would be best following up by a more intensely hydrating day cream. Where this particularly excels is in its ability to treat redness, hydrate, brighten, and detoxify the skin, whilst being gentle enough for everyday use on even the most easily-aggravated skin types.

The rapidly changing climate and my hectic schedule has reaked havoc upon my complexion this month, calling for a committed artillery of blemish battling products. Sometimes a spot-on treatment isn't quite enough, so for double impact I've been substituting my night time serum with this several times a week and the results have been more than applaudable. The light gel is designed to be applied all over in order to prevent [as well as reduce existing] breakouts via a powerful blend of antibacterial ingredients. The texture is easily absorbed so layers well beneath moisturiser and performs especially well when paired with Origins' Super Spot Remover, dramatically reducing the size, pain, and appearance of blemishes by morning. It's also particularly noteworthy for a high salicylic acid count, which exfoliates skin overnight, resulting in a brighter complexion and reducing the appearance of blemish marks and scars over time. As far as exfoliating serums go, this is one of the best I've seen; I noticed results after less than a week of use.